Admissions Viewbook
Information about USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law is available in our Viewbook. Read more >>
APPLY
The Fall 2027 application for admission will open on September 1, 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact our admissions team at 803-777-6605.
Prospective Candidates
Learn more about how we evaluate applications and character and fitness guidelines.
The application will open on September 1.
We encourage applicants to submit their best application as early as possible in the cycle. We do have a priority deadline of March 1. After this deadline, offers of admission and scholarship funding will be limited.
The application will close on July 1.
The application fee is $60 and non-refundable.
Yes, for prospective candidates applying this admissions cycle. To request a fee waiver, please complete the following form.
No. We do not offer a general early decision program. However, South Carolina residents interested in the Carolina Law Research Scholar program should submit their application by December 1. For more information, visit our website.
No. We do not offer a part-time J.D. program.
No. We do not offer an online J.D. program.
No. We do not offer an evening J.D. program.
No. We only offer a fall start to our J.D. program.
First-year students are not permitted to work. Second-year and third-year students may work up to 15 hours a week during the academic year.
Current Applicants
LSAC recalculates your cumulative undergraduate GPA according to a uniform set of rules that apply to all applicants. For instance, all academic work is taken into account, not just the work completed at the school where you received your degree, so if you took summer school classes at another school or transferred to a different institution, grades earned at the other school will be included. In addition, LSAC assigns numerical values to letter grades that may be different from those assigned by your school, and it does not allow for grade substitutions if you retake a class.
The primary entrance examination for law school is the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) examination. The vast majority of our applicants apply with an LSAT score. Applicants who take an LSAT examination are not eligible to have their applications reviewed with a GRE score. A GRE or GMAT score will only be reviewed if it is the only standardized test taken by the applicant.
No. USC Rice School of Law does not have a minimum LSAT score required to apply. We use a holistic review process, which means your standardized test score(s) and undergraduate GPA are important factors, considered alongside the rest of your application materials.
Applicants applying with an LSAT score must have a valid LSAT writing sample for your LSAT score to be released on your CAS Report.
No. Applicants who take the LSAT are only required to submit their LSAT score(s) with their application.
Yes. If you receive an offer of admission, you will be notified of any merit-based scholarship with your admissions decision. For more information about scholarships, visit our website.
Admitted Candidates
Yes. We offer two Admitted Students Days each year in January and in March. For the most up to date information about upcoming events, please check your Admitted Candidate Portal.
The Admissions Team strives to make the most competitive offer of merit-based scholarship with an applicant’s admissions decision. While you are free to submit competing offers, please note we are unable to guarantee scholarship reconsideration.
Admitted candidates must submit their non-refundable seat deposit of $500 by April 15 to accept their offer of admission.
There is no additional financial commitment to confirm your seat, however admitted candidates must confirm their intent to enroll by June 1. Submission of this form serves as your final commitment, and you are expected to withdraw from any other law schools in which you remain in consideration. The form will become available in early May.
Additionally, admitted candidates are responsible for completing their Pre-Enrollment Requirements by July 1.
For the most current information, please check your Admitted Candidate Portal.
Waitlisted Candidates
Yes. Waitlisted candidates will receive a form to fill out in the email with their waitlist decision.
The latest we could offer a seat in our incoming class is during Orientation. Orientation is typically offered the second week of August and is always the week prior to classes starting. The most up to date academic calendar can be found here.
Transfer Candidates
Yes. We only accept transfer applicants after completion of their first year. Transfer applicants must complete at least 26 credit hours at an ABA-accredited law school and generally should rank in the top third of their class. Transfer applicants must wait until they have their transcripts reflecting the minimum of 26 credit hours earned prior to applying. Transfer applications must be submitted by July 1 for consideration.
A maximum of 30 credit hours may be accepted for transfer credit.
Connect With Us
Yes. We offer tours with current students throughout the week. Please view our Tour Portal to schedule a tour that is convenient for your schedule.
Yes. We offer virtual events throughout the year. Please view our Event Portal for upcoming events.
You may reach out to our Student Ambassadors at askambsc@law.sc.edu.
Meet our Ambassadors here.
Our Admissions Team would love to connect with you. You can view our profiles here.
You can contact our office by phone or email Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm ET.
Phone: 803-777-6605
Email: usclaw@law.sc.edu